More than half of N.S. students failing grade 12 math test
Posted Jun 30, 2010 05:21:23 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
As many happy students left the last day of school with passing grades, a failing grade was handed out in math.
According to a provincial report on education, only 45 per cent of Grade 12 students passed the provincial math exam in 2009, slipping from the 49 per cent who passed it the year before.
Halifax Regional School Board, the province’s largest school system, fared slightly better with 49 per cent getting a passing grade. However, that’s down seven per cent from 2008.
Nova Scotia’s education minister says she’s concerned that Grade 12 students are having to learn too much in one year to catch up with the provincial test standards.
“I am troubled by the math scores. Changes are going to be made to improve student learning,” said Marilyn More in a release. “A new elementary math curriculum will be rolled out beginning in 2011, with a new curriculum for grades 7 and 8 introduced the following year.”
More also says math teachers will receive more training.
Liberal Education critic Kelly Regan tells the Herald the results show education is going in the wrong direction, adding that there appears to be a disconnect on what is being taught in the classroom and what is on the test.
The report, a recap of how Nova Scotia students are performing, was released Tuesday – the last day of the school year. Regan calls the timing of the release suspect, saying it appears the government is hoping parents will forget about the results over summer break.
A full version of the report is available online.
